Photo: WWE Announces New World Champion Alberto Del Rio

MIAMI — With the crowning of a new World Heavyweight Champion, the Jan. 8, 2013, episode of SmackDown cemented its place in blue brand history just one week before its landmark 700th episode.

On the same night The Rock made his eagerly anticipated return to Friday night’s best show, Alberto Del Rio seized the spotlight and defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship.

The Mexican Aristocrat heroically battled The World’s Largest Athlete in an absolutely brutal showdown, literally taking The World’s Largest Athlete to his limit en route to an historic victory.

Del Rio’s title triumph stands as his first World Heavyweight Championship and his third World Title overall. His victory also shows, once again, that anything can happen on SmackDown at any time!

See how it t went down and witness the return of The Rock to the blue brand, this Friday at 8/7 CT only on SmackDown on Syfy.